Taormina holidays

Get ready to take a stack of Sicilian selfies when you book Taormina holidays... this Italian glamour puss demands to be photographed.

Sitting high on a hill above the east coast of the Italian island of Sicily, the chic summer resort of Taormina has long been a magnet for the rich, famous, and very good looking. Visitors were coming to Taormina well before the advent of package tourism, following the lead of 19th-century arty types who flocked to the resort for its fantastic light, stunning landscapes, mild weather and liberal attitudes.

Thankfully, you don't have to be rich (or famous, or good looking) to enjoy package holidays to Taormina. The shops, restaurants, beaches and historic attractions of the resort are open to all and there are plenty of cheap Taormina holidays up for grabs.

Find out the best times to visit Taormina with our guide on when to go The main holiday season in Taormina begins in April, when average daytime temperatures reach into the 20s. Holidays in April and May are perfect for sightseeing in pleasant warm weather without the crowds of summer. The masses arrive in July and August, lured by hot summer days of around 30C and warm nights (cardigans are not necessary). September and October are also great months in which to visit Taormina, as temperatures cool off, the tourist throngs disperse and prices drop. The resort is very quiet over the winter; it leaves Sicily's cities to cater for visitors between November and March.

Holidays in Taormina are ideal for couples and older families. Here are a few ideas of what to see and do during your break

Grown-up families: Between May and October, the Italian Opera Taormina gives visitors a taste of their spine-tingling talents at the dinky Cine-Theatre San Giorgio. It's a cheap and quick way to experience the opera with a drink and divine views included in the price.

Relaxing: Sprawl out on Taormina's main beach and wait for the tide to drop. A pathway to Isola Bella, the little island in front of the beach, is revealed. Protected as a nature reserve, this pretty spot is surrounded by waters of crystalline clarity.

Active types: If you fancy stretching your legs after all that delicious pizza and pasta, you could take a hike up Europe's highest active volcano. Mount Etna can be reached in around 90 minutes by road from Taormina and there are various heart-pounding ways to discover its terrain.